The Book of Isaiah (2020 Edition) E-Book

Brian Simmons

• Herausgeber: BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Serie: The Passion Translation
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Seitenzahl: 401

Beschreibung

The book of Isaiah is a collection of prophecies that is more than a historical record or teaching. It is the overarching vision of the heart of God revealed to his prophet. It spans the ages and touches every nation on earth, becoming a collective overview of all that God has planned.   The message of Isaiah is one of victory, hope, comfort, and restoration. The themes of its prophecies are unrivaled in all of Scripture. With panoramic insight, Isaiah preaches the virgin birth of Christ, the bride of Christ, and the New Jerusalem. These prophecies also present a description of the cataclysmic judgments, the survival of a holy remnant emerging in Zion, and the canopy of glory that is coming to earth.   It was because of our rebellious deeds that he was pierced and because of our sins that he was crushed. He endured the punishment that made us completely whole, and in his wounding we found our healing. Isaiah 53:5  

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Isaiah: The Vision, 2020 Edition

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

A Note to Readers

Isaiah: Introduction

Isaiah: The Vision

Your Personal Invitation to Follow Jesus

About the Translator

A NOTE TO READERS

It would be impossible to calculate how many lives have been changed forever by the power of the Bible, the living Word of God! My own life was transformed because I believed the message contained in Scripture about Jesus, the Savior.

To hold the Bible dear to your heart is the sacred obsession of every true follower of Jesus. Yet to go even further and truly understand the Bible is how we gain light and truth to live by. Did you catch the word understand? People everywhere say the same thing: “I want to understand God’s Word, not just read it.”

Thankfully, as English speakers, we have a plethora of Bible translations, commentaries, study guides, devotionals, churches, and Bible teachers to assist us. Our hearts crave to know God—to not just know about him, but to know him as intimately as we possibly can in this life. This is what makes Bible translations so valuable, because each one will hopefully lead us into new discoveries of God’s character. I believe God is committed to giving us truth in a package we can understand and apply, so I thank God for every translation of God’s Word that we have.

God’s Word does not change, but over time languages defi nitely do, thus the need for updated and revised translations of the Bible. Translations give us the words God spoke through his servants, but words can be poor containers for revelation because they leak! Meaning is influenced by culture, background, and many other details. Just imagine how differently the Hebrew authors of the Old Testament saw the world three thousand years ago from the way we see it today!

Even within one language and culture, meanings of words change from one generation to the next. For example, many contemporary Bible readers would be quite surprised to find unicorns are mentioned nine times in the King James Version (KJV). Here’s one instance in Isaiah 34:7: “And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness.” This isn’t a result of poor translation, but rather an example of how our culture, language, and understanding of the world has shifted over the past few centuries. So, it is important that we have a modern English text of the Bible that releases revelation and truth into our hearts. The Passion Translation (TPT) is committed to bringing forth the potency of God’s Word in relevant, contemporary vocabulary that doesn’t distract from its meaning or distort it in any way. So many people have told us that they are falling in love with the Bible again as they read TPT.

We often hear the statement, “I just want a word-for-word translation that doesn’t mess it up or insert a bias.” That’s a noble desire. But a word-for-word translation would be nearly unreadable. It is simply impossible to translate one Hebrew word for one English word. Hebrew is built from triliteral consonant roots. Biblical Hebrew had no vowels or punctuation. And Koine Greek, although wonderfully articulate, cannot always be conveyed in English by a word-for-word translation. For example, a literal word-for-word translation of the Greek in Matthew 1:18 would be something like this: “Of the but Jesus Christ the birth thus was. Being betrothed the mother of him, Mary, to Joseph, before or to come together them she was found in belly having from Spirit Holy.”

Even the KJV, which many believe to be a very literal translation, renders this verse: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.”

This comparison makes the KJV look like a paraphrase next to a strictly literal translation! To some degree, every Bible translator is forced to move words around in a sentence to convey with meaning the thought of the verse. There is no such thing as a truly literal translation of the Bible, for there is not an equivalent language that perfectly conveys the meaning of the biblical text. Is it really possible to have a highly accurate and highly readable English Bible? We certainly hope so! It is so important that God’s Word is living in our hearts, ringing in our ears, and burning in our souls. Transferring God’s revelation from Hebrew and Greek into English is an art, not merely a linguistic science. Thus, we need all the accurate translations we can find. If a verse or passage in one translation seems confusing, it is good to do a side-by-side comparison with another version.

It is difficult to say which translation is the “best.” “Best” is often in the eyes of the reader and is determined by how important differing factors are to different people. However, the “best” translation, in my thinking, is the one that makes the Word of God clear and accurate, no matter how many words it takes to express it.

That’s the aim of The Passion Translation: to bring God’s eternal truth into a highly readable heart-level expression that causes truth and love to jump out of the text and lodge inside our hearts. A desire to remain accurate to the text and a desire to communicate God’s heart of passion for his people are the two driving forces behind TPT. So for those new to Bible reading, we hope TPT will excite and illuminate. For scholars and Bible students, we hope TPT will bring the joys of new discoveries from the text and prompt deeper consideration of what God has spoken to his people. We all have so much more to learn and discover about God in his holy Word!

You will notice at times we’ve italicized certain words or phrases. These portions are not in the original Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic manuscripts but are implied from the context. We’ve made these implications explicit for the sake of narrative clarity and to better convey the meaning of God’s Word. This is a common practice by mainstream translations.

We’ve also chosen to translate certain names in their original Hebrew or Greek forms to better convey their cultural meaning and significance. For instance, some translations of the Bible have substituted James for Jacob and Jude for Judah. Both Greek and Aramaic manuscripts leave these Hebrew names in their original forms. Therefore, this translation uses those cultural names.

The purpose of The Passion Translation is to reintroduce the passion and fire of the Bible to the English reader. It doesn’t merely convey the literal meaning of words. It expresses God’s passion for people and his world by translating the original, life-changing message of God’s Word for modern readers.

We pray this version of God’s Word will kindle in you a burning desire to know the heart of God, while impacting the church for years to come.

Please visit ThePassionTranslation.com for more information.

Brian Simmons and the translation team

ISAIAH

(return to table of contents)

Introduction • One • Two • Three • Four • Five • Six • Seven • Eight • Nine • Ten • Eleven • Twelve • Thirteen • Fourteen • Fifteen • Sixteen • Seventeen • Eighteen • Nineteen • Twenty • Twenty-One • Twenty-Two • Twenty-Three • Twenty-Four • Twenty-Five • Twenty-Six • Twenty-Seven • Twenty-Eight • Twenty-Nine • Thirty • Thirty-One • Thirty-Two • Thirty-Three • Thirty-Four • Thirty-Five • Thirty-Six • Thirty-Seven • Thirty-Eight • Thirty-Nine • Forty • Forty-One • Forty-Two • Forty-Three • Forty-Four • Forty-Five • Forty-Six • Forty-Seven • Forty-Eight • Forty-Nine • Fifty • Fifty-One • Fifty-Two • Fifty-Three • Fifty-Four • Fifty-Five • Fifty-Six • Fifty-Seven • Fifty-Eight • Fifty-Nine • Sixty • Sixty-One • Sixty-Two • Sixty-Three • Sixty-Four • Sixty-Five • Sixty-Six

ISAIAH

Introduction

AT A GLANCE

Author: Isaiah the seer-prophet

Audience: Originally Israel, but Isaiah’s revelations speak to everyone

Date: 740–700 BC

Type of Literature: Prophetic literature

Major Themes: The Bible in one book; judgment for the rebellious; the hope of vindication and redemption; unveiling the Messiah

Outline:

Yahweh’s Vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem — 1:1–5:30

The Vision and Prophetic Call of Isaiah — 6:1–13

Yahweh’s Signs, Judgment, and Deliverance — 7:1–12:6

Yahweh’s Judgments against the Nations — 13:1–23:18

Yahweh’s Victory Over the Nations — 24:1–27:13

The False Hope of Trusting the Nations — 28:1–33:24

Enemies Judged, the Redeemed Return — 34:1–35:10

The Vision concerning Hezekiah — 36:1–39:8

The Vision concerning God’s Promises — 40:1–48:22

The Vision concerning Redemption and Restoration — 49:1–55:13

Yahweh, Our Judge and Redeemer — 56:1–66:24

ABOUT ISAIAH

Isaiah, the first of the major prophets, was the prophet of Zion. He was not just a teacher or preacher but a seer and intercessor for God’s people. Zion is not simply a spiritual place; it is a spiritual people. It is a realm of glory, a realm of vision. Zion is also a term used to describe a supernatural people who live in the reality of a supernatural vision. This vision is for all those who long to live as God’s people from Zion, the realm of supernatural glory.

You are about to enter a vision-zone of heaven descending upon the earth. Let’s study the vision of a man who saw the glory of God and now speaks with burning lips. True prophetic ministry flows from this vision until it grows into a burden. With a blast of newly released Spirit-Wind,a Isaiah now speaks for God with fire-touched lips. He speaks about the supernatural reality of Yahweh breaking into the reality of this world in order to impart to his people insights into his loving heart and wise plan.

The book of Isaiah is one enormous collection of prophecies (the longest in the Bible) described as the vision (Hb. chazown). This word is a descriptive term for the entire supernatural revelation given by God to Isaiah. It is not simply teaching or historical record; it is the overarching vision of the heart of God revealed to his seer-prophet. This vision spans the plan of the ages. It becomes a collective overview of all that God has planned. It takes us beyond the days of Isaiah, even beyond our own times, bringing us into the council chambers of eternity, revealing the unfolding plan of an all-wise God. The vision did not belong to Isaiah; it is the Lord’s vision for a people raised up on the earth who will reflect his glory.

The documents of Isaiah are among the most reliable of all the Old Testament. We even have a copy of the book that dates to 100 BC thanks to the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. They predate the next oldest extant copy by nearly one thousand years, and very little variation in the manuscripts was found. So we can be confident as we read Isaiah’s inspired prophecies that we are gazing upon the truth of the ages.

The apostle John writes, “Isaiah said these things because he had seen and experienced the splendor of Jesus and prophesied about him” (John 12:41). Isaiah was taken into heaven’s throne room and saw the Son of God as the Lord on the throne—the “Lord high and exalted”—who is Jesus Christ before he became a man (see Isa. 6:1–5). Here’s how Peter described the ministry of the prophets, including Isaiah:

This salvation was the focus of the prophets who prophesied of this outpouring of grace that was destined for you. They made a careful search and investigation of the meaning of their God-given prophecies as they probed into the mysteries of who would fulfill them and the time period when it would all take place. The Spirit of the Anointed One was in them and was pointing prophetically to the sufferings that Christ was destined to suffer and the glories that would be released afterward. God revealed to the prophets that their ministry was not for their own benefit but for yours. And now, you have heard these things from the evangelists who preached the gospel to you through the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—the gospel containing wonderful mysteries that even the angels long to get a glimpse of. (1 Peter 1:10–12)

The poetic revelation of Isaiah contains God’s glorious message of overcoming, hope, comfort, and the restoration of all things. Because of Christ’s appearing with love for all the world, Isaiah’s words are now seen as clear prophetic insights into the death, resurrection, and glory of our King. To see him in every chapter of Isaiah will be the key to unlocking its deep prophetic mystery to our hearts. Read it with joy and passion to discover the Beloved—you will find him!

PURPOSE

The scope of this book includes every nation on the earth today. The prophecies of Isaiah are addressed not only to the citizens of the eighth century BC but also to the inhabitants of the whole earth—“with all of us who are alive here today” (Deut. 5:3). He was commissioned by the Lord through supernatural revelation to proclaim the vision containing divine insight into impending judgment for sins, coming comfort for future destruction, and the hope of eventual redemption. Significant to the church in these last days is his prophetic insight into the person and work of Jesus—the Faithful Servant, Chosen Servant, Teacher-Servant, and Suffering Servant.

With panoramic insight, Isaiah preaches about the virgin birth of Christ and the virgin bride of Christ. We read prophecies of the new thing God delights in doing and the New Jerusalem God delights to dwell in. We see Christ Jesus as the Man of Sorrows and the Conquering King. Isaiah’s burning message is not only for the future, it is for now.

With their vast and grand themes, Isaiah’s prophecies are unrivaled in all of Scripture. They present to us a description of cataclysmic judgments, the survival of a holy remnant, and the canopy of glory that is coming to earth. A cleansed, holy people will emerge in Zion. They will be the outgrowth of the one called the Branch, and they will possess his glory and his beauty. These revelation-insights assure us that we can trust Lord Yahweh with our present suffering and future restoration.

AUTHOR AND AUDIENCE

Isaiah, an educated and prominent man in the nation of Israel, was married to a prophetess (see Isa. 8:3) and had two sons, the older, Shear-Jashub, meaning “a remnant will return” (7:3) and the younger, Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, meaning “Quickly—to the plunder! Hurry—to the loot!” (8:3).

Historian and church father Jerome says of Isaiah, “He was more of an evangelist than a prophet because he presented the mysteries of the church of Christ so vividly.”b How true! In Isaiah 53 the seer-prophet brings us a clear presentation of Jesus as the Savior and the crucified one. John Wesley concluded, “Undoubtedly he was the prince of all the prophets.”c About Isaiah’s prophetic book he wrote, “He so evidently and fully describes the person, and offices, and sufferings, and kingdom of Christ, that some of the ancients called him the fifth Evangelist.”d

Isaiah the seer-prophet is indeed a fifth evangelist, making his prophetic work a fifth gospel, for he reveals the hidden mysteries of Lord Yahweh’s good news. These mysteries were unveiled first before the people of God, at once confronting them and the nations with future doom and encouraging them with future glory. Ultimately, Isaiah’s evangelistic prophecy is meant for all the world, unveiling before it the beauty and majesty, hope and expectations, of Messiah Jesus.

MAJOR THEMES

The Bible in One Book. Isaiah is like the entire Bible in that there are sixty-six books of inspired Scripture and sixty-six chapters in Isaiah. The first thirty-nine books of the Bible comprise the Old Testament, or what our Jewish friends call “the Covenant.” The first thirty-nine chapters of Isaiah parallel the first thirty-nine books of the Bible. Both include woes, judgment, and promises; there is a focus on the Hebrew people and their history; and the destined future of God’s people is unveiled. The last twenty-seven chapters of Isaiah in many ways mirror the last twenty-seven books of the Bible, what we call the New Testament—beginning with Isaiah 40 and the prophecy of John the Baptizer as a “thundering voice shouting in the desert” (John 1:23), heralding the coming of the Messiah, who brings the message of life and hope. You could consider your journey through Isaiah like taking a journey through the entire Bible, for both end with God making all things new, including giving us a new heaven (or heavens) and a new earth (see Isa. 66:22; Rev. 21–22).

If you were to take the whole Bible and squeeze it into one book, you would end up with the prophecy of Isaiah. It is truly the Bible in miniature. Both Jesus and Paul quote Isaiah more than any other Old Testament book. If you really want to know your Bible, read Isaiah!

Judgment for the Rebellious. From the beginning, Isaiah’s vision unveils a major theme that courses throughout this prophetic work: judgment for the rebellious. All are corrupt, having stubbornly continued in their rebellion from the bottom of their feet to the top of their heads. Lord Yahweh, Commander of Angel Armies, has issued prophetic utterances of judgment against human beings, from the leaders of Sodom to the people of Gomorrah, from the Philistines to the Moabites, from Egypt to Babylon. In stirring, graphic language, Isaiah prophesied the day of Lord Yahweh, a period when he would punish the world for its evil and to the wicked for their sins. In the day of his fierce anger, the heavens will shudder and the earth will shake from its foundations.

This outpouring of corrective wrath is reserved not only for the nations who have turned their backs on Lord Yahweh but for God’s people who have despised the Holy One of Israel. Israel and Judah had become estranged and alienated from God, offering defiled sacrifices and tainted worship. More significantly, they exchanged worship of the Holy One of Israel for worthless idols of wood and stone. The covenant Israel entered into with Yahweh was broken by their idolatry and unbelief. It was as though God’s children disowned their Father. And destruction was promised for such arrogance. Yes, God is love and longs to pour out his love upon his people, those he has chosen and established as his own. Yet God is holy, and although in mercy he may delay judgment, he will certainly judge his people.

Remarkably, even during devastation and judgment, God calls his people the “daughter of Zion” (Isa. 1:8). God’s people are his daughter, born out of Zion, the holy realm. Instead of being his dwelling place, they became like a flimsy hut. The work of God, as seen in the book of Isaiah, was to restore this “hut” to a dwelling place of divine shelter through his refining fire. Even the besieged city will one day become the New Jerusalem, where God and humanity mingle as one.

The Hope of Vindication and Redemption. Favor and mercy always triumph over judgment. God will excel in grace toward his people and give them back even more than what sins spoiled and Satan stole. There is coming a day when Lord Yahweh will wield his massive, mighty sword and take up our cause, slaying the serpent of confusion and working a mighty work of vindication from enemies and redemption from sins in the lives of his people. He is our Kinsman-Redeemer, the Mighty One who unveils to us his cherishing love like a relative coming to the aid of his next-of-kin in trouble to redeem and rescue them. He loves us so much that he took on this role of family protector, becoming the sacrifice to rescue us from danger and return us to God.

God is a God of restoration, even for those who have miserably failed him. He has always had a remnant people, a “holy seed” of survivors who will spring up through his mercy, even in a time of judgment. Today, true believers have the holy seed of Christ within us, for we have been born from above. The remnant is an important theme found in the messages of the prophets, especially Isaiah. The theology of God preserving a remnant meant so much to Isaiah that he named one of his sons Shear-Jashub, “a remnant will return” (7:3). The remnant of the lovers of God who have taken hold of one Man (Jesus) will be sheltered and protected, even in a time of judgment.

This vindication and redemption is encapsulated in three songs in the book of Isaiah: the Song of Praise for the Redeemed (12:1–6), the Joyful Song of the Redeemed (35:1–10), and the Song of Salvation (52:7–12). In each, the children of God are invited to praise Lord Yahweh for turning away his anger and offering tender comfort; for breaking through and giving us victory, avenging our enemies with the salvation of divine retribution; for the beautiful message announcing peace and happiness; and for the unveiling of Lord Yahweh’s saving power before all the nations. Praise is a vital component of Isaiah’s teachings on redemption. If we ourselves don’t praise, creation will in our place!

The Hebrew word for “salvation” is yĕshuw’ah, and it is found in Isaiah twenty-eight times. It is similar to the Hebrew name of Jesus: Yeshua. Redemption is God’s last word, not judgment. To know Jesus is to know the God of salvation who sent him (see John 14:9). Through him, the Suffering Servant, our salvation was accomplished as he was rejected and mocked, pierced and crushed, bruised and punished. “Like wayward sheep, we have all wandered astray,” Isaiah writes prophetically. “Each of us has turned from God’s paths and chosen our own way; even so, Yahweh laid the guilt of our every sin upon him” (53:6), unlocking the door of hope leading to redemption.

Unveiling the Messiah. Finally, Isaiah’s vision offers us prophetic insights into the most important theme of Scripture: the Messiah. More than any other place in God’s Word, divine revelation concerning Lord Yahweh’s Anointed One is poured out here for the benefit of God’s people. Just consider all the mysteries unveiled before us through this seer-prophet: Isaiah 7 promises the world a sign from Lord Yahweh himself: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will name him God Among Us” (v. 14). There is nothing miraculous about a young woman having a baby; it happens every day. However, Matthew quotes this prophetic word for the virgin birth of the Messiah (see Matt. 1:23). No child with a human father could be the fulfillment of Immanuel, “God Among Us.”

In chapter 9, Isaiah prophesied the ministry of Jesus that would reverse the curse on humanity through the radiance of his light shining upon the places where devastation has robbed us of hope. This glorious light includes Jesus’ teachings, his miracles, and the pure life he lived before the Father. Jesus Christ is a light of rescue for the lost, comfort for the hurting, wholeness for the broken, and escape for the captive. He is the light of joy, the light of revelation, the light of deliverance. Isaiah prophesied that the light of Jesus would shine on the earth and bring in a harvest of joy and rejoicing.

The first five verses of chapter 11 unveil several aspects of the Messiah. He would be from David’s lineage. He would come from the stump of Jesse and be the fruitful Branch. He would have the sevenfold Spirit of God resting upon him: the Spirit of Yahweh, the Spirit of Extraordinary Wisdom, the Spirit of Perfect Understanding, the Spirit of Wise Strategy, the Spirit of Mighty Power, the Spirit of Revelation, and the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord. His government would be equitable and full of righteousness, and it would demonstrate his loyalty to God. Jesus fulfills all of these attributes completely as the long-awaited Branch-Messiah of Lord Yahweh.

Isaiah 42 introduces to us the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, as the Chosen Servant of the Lord, sustained by Yahweh, sent on a divine mission to bring light and freedom to the hearts of his covenant people. Starting with chapter 42, Isaiah gives us four Servant Songs: (1) This chapter presents him as the Faithful Servant who brings light to the nations. (2) In 49:1–13 he is the Chosen Servant to bring salvation to the nations and to restore Israel. (3) In 50:4–9, we have the song of the Obedient Servant who reveals the Father. (4) In 52:13–53:12 we find the Suffering Servant. These songs comprise a capstone of divine revelation unveiling the Messiah.

All of the prophetic writings have the power to change you. They change our outlook toward the future, they give us prophetic meaning for the past, and they empower us to live holy lives today. Read Isaiah to be transformed and watch God change your life.

aAll the Word of God is inspired or “God- breathed.” See 2 Tim. 3:16.

bThe Lives of the Holy Prophets, Holy Apostles Convent, 101.

cJohn Wesley’s Notes on the Whole Bible (Wesley’s Notes), taken from an electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library, ccel.org.

dIbid.

ISAIAH

THE VISION

1Here is the visiona that Isaiah,b the son of Amoz, received by divine revelation concerning what was going to happen to Judah and Jerusalem during the times of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.c

A Nation in Rebellion

2Listen, O heavens! Hear,d O earth!

For the Lord Yahweh has spoken:e

“I tenderly nurtured children and made them great,f

but they have rebelledg against me!

3Even a dumb ox instinctively knows its owner

and the stubborn mule knows the hand that feeds it,h

but Israel does not know mei

nor do my people understand.”j

Isaiah’s Indictment

4Oh,k how this nation keeps sinning!

See them dragging the heavy burden of their guilt!

They are corrupt children, descendants of evildoers.

They have turned their backs on the Lord God

and despised the Holy One of Israel!l

They have cut themselves off from the help of God!m

5Why would you seek to be injured further?

Why would you stubbornly continue in your rebellion?n

Your whole head is sick,o

and your heart and your will are weak and faint.

6You are corrupt from the bottom of your feet

to the top of your head. There is no integrityp—

nothing but bruises, putrefying sores, and raw open wounds!

They have not been drained or bandaged or soothed with oil.q

7Your country is devastated

and your cities burned to the ground;r

foreigners plunder your crops before your eyes—

with nothing but devastation and destruction in their wake!s

8And the daughter of Ziont is left as helpless as

a deserted shack in a vineyard or

a flimsy shelter in a field of cucumbers—

in every way like a city besieged!u

Judah under King Sennacherib. See Isa. 36–

9If the Lord of Angel Armiesv had not left us survivors,

our fate would have been the same as Sodom and Gomorrah!w

Justice, Not Hypocritical Worship

10Hear the word of Yahweh:x

“You leaders of Sodom, heed the correctiony of our

God!

People of Gomorrah, you’d better listen to his rebuke.”

11And Yahweh keeps saying:

“Why such countless sacrifices—what use are they to me?

I’ve had my fill of your burnt offerings of rams and your fattened animals.z

I find no delight in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats!

12When you come before my face,

who asked you to come trampling on my courtyards?

13Stop bringing your meaningless offerings.aa

Your burning incense stinks!

Your sin-stained celebrations,ab

your new moon festivals, Sabbaths,

your various pious meetings—I can’t stand them!

14With all my soulac I hate

your new moon festivals and your feasts;ad

they are nothing but a burden

that I’m sick and tired of carrying.

15When you stretch out your hands to pray,

I will hide my eyes from you.ae

Repeat your prayers all you want, but I will not listen,

for your hands are stained with innocent blood.

16Wash yourselves and make yourselves clean.

Remove your evil actions from my sight

and stop sinning!af

17Learn what it means to do what is good

by seeking righteousness and justice!

Rescue the oppressed.ag Uphold the rights of the fatherless

and defend the widow’s cause.ah

18Come now and let’s deliberate over the next steps to take together.”ai

Yahweh promises you over and over:aj

“Though your sins stain you like scarlet,ak

I will whiten them like bright, new-fallen snow!

Even though they are deep red like crimson,al

they will be made white like wool!am

19If you have a willing heart to let me help you,

and if you will obey me, you will feast on the blessings

of an abundant harvest.an

20But if you are stubborn and refuse to obey,

the sword will eat you instead.”ao

The mouth of Yahweh has spoken.

The Collapse of Society

21Look how the once faithful city

has become as unfaithful as a prostitute!

She who was once the “Center of Justice,”

where righteousness made its home,

is now the dwelling place of murderers!ap

22She was once like sterling silver, now only mixture;

once so pure, now diluted like watered-down wine.aq

23Your rulers are rebellious and companions of crooks.

They are self-centered racketeers

who love a bribe and who chase after payoffs.

They don’t defend the fatherless

or consider the rights of a helpless widow.

24Therefore, here is what the Sovereign One,

the Lord God of Angel Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, decrees:

“Ah,ar I will get relief from my adversaries

and avenge myself on my foes!as

25I will put my fiery hand upon you

and purify you with fire into something clean.”at

God Promises Deliverers

26“I will restore deliverers as in former times

and your wise counselors as at the beginning.au

Only then will you be called the Righteous City

and the Faithful City!”av

27Yes, Zion will be redeemed with justice

and her repentant converts with righteousness.aw

28There will be a shattering of rebels and sinners together,

and those who forsake the Lord will be consumed.

29You will reap shame from the idols you once delighted in

and you will be humiliated by your cultic sacred groves,ax

where you chose to worship.

30You will be like an oak tree with faded, fallen leaves

and like a withered, waterless garden.

31The “powerful elite” will become like kindling

and their evil deeds like sparks—both will burn together

and no one will be able to put out the fire.

a1:1 Or “prophecy.” This refers to the entire book as a divine revelation from God. The Hebrew word chazown means “to see spiritually,” “to have a revelation or dream,” or “to receive an oracle.” This word was commonly used to describe how the prophets received divine communication.

b1:1 It is believed that Isaiah was an aristocrat, a member of the royal family, and the nephew of King Uzziah. His father, Amoz, was the brother of King Amaziah.

c1:1 Even the names mentioned in v. 1 have something to teach us. Isaiah means “Yahweh is salvation [victory].” Amoz means “to be made strong or courageous.” Judah means “praise.” Jerusalem means “the teaching of peace (wholeness).” Isaiah prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah (“the power of Yahweh” or “mighty is Yahweh”), Jotham (“the one Yahweh makes perfect” or “Yahweh is upright”), Ahaz (“possessor” or “to lay hold of”), and Hezekiah (“strengthened by Yahweh” or “the one Yahweh makes firm”). Here is what the meanings in the names of v. 1 teach us: We can see that prophetic vision from a courageous prophet imparts the power of Yahweh, which releases those whom Yahweh makes perfect to maturity. They will be possessors and those who lay hold of heaven’s promises until they are strengthened by Yahweh and made firm in all their ways! All of this will take place in the land of praise and in the teaching of peace.

d1:2 The Hebrew is literally “ear me.”

e1:2 God summoned into his courtroom his two witnesses (see Deut. 19:15), the heavens and the earth, concerning God’s seven-count indictment against Israel for breaking covenant with him. See Deut. 4:26; 30:19; 31:28; 32:1; Ps. 50:4; Jer. 2:12.

f1:2 Or “raised them up high [exalted].” The words translated as “nurtured” and “made them great” are two Hebrew synonyms that could be translated “exalt,” “advance,” “set on high,” “mature,” “increase,” “magnify,” “promote,” “raise up,” or “cause to grow.” This is what Father God will do for his children. In the book of Isaiah, God’s love toward Israel is displayed in a threefold way: He is Father (see Isa. 1:2–3; 63:16; 64:8), a nursing Mother (see 66:12–13), and a Husband (see 54:5). God was Israel’s Father, Mother, and Husband.

g1:2 The Hebrew word for “rebelled” (pasha`) indicates the breaking of a contract. The covenant Israel entered into with Yahweh was broken by their idolatry and unbelief. It was as though God’s children disowned their Father.

h1:3 Or “where to find its master’s feeding trough [crib].” God is showing that “dumb” animals have more devotion to their masters than God’s people have toward him.

i1:3 Although implied in the Hebrew, both the Latin Vulgate and the Septuagint (LXX) have “know me.” The Hebrew word for “know” is yaḏa‛ and refers to having a personal, intimate relationship with someone. God’s people had no intimacy with God, seemingly unaware of the incredible opportunity to be intimate with the God of heaven. At least the donkey knows where his master will feed him, while God’s people do not understand where they can be fed and strengthened by the Word and by the Spirit. It is time to know the Master and his manger. Isn’t it interesting that Jesus was laid in an animal’s manger at his birth? The “master’s feeding trough” is the birthplace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has come to feed us his living Bread.

j1:3 That is, “my people neither understand my ways nor how kind I am.”

k1:4 Or “Alas” or “Woe.” The Hebrew word (hoy) was used at funerals as a lament.

l1:4 This is Isaiah’s favorite title of God; he uses it twenty-six times in this book. Twenty-six is the numerical value of the Hebrew name for God, YHWH (Yahweh).

m1:4 Or “They are utterly estranged [alienated from God]” or “They have gone backward [running away from God].”

n1:5 Or “Why, knowing you’ll be beaten again, do you rebel again?” This is more the lament of a loving father than the indictment of a judge. The broken heart of God toward his wayward people is revealed.

o1:5 The “head” speaks of at least two things: the leadership of the nation and the thoughts that have turned from God.

p1:6 Their corrupt “feet” speak of their walking away from God; “the top of the head” represents their thought lives that crowded out God.

q1:6 Yet, if we turn to God, he will bandage our wounds and bring us healing (see Luke 4:18; 10:34). Jesus was wounded from head to toe, bruised and beaten, to bring us life and healing. Jesus took all the punishment described in this chapter, and he took it all for us.

r1:7 This was literally fulfilled about 175 years after this prophetic declaration with the invasion of Jerusalem by Babylon in 586 BC. See Jer. 25.

s1:7 God’s judgment takes the form of military invasion and destruction.

t1:8 Even during devastation, God called his people the “daughter of Zion.” God’s people are his daughter, born out of Zion, the holy realm. Instead of being his dwelling place, they have become like a flimsy hut. The work of God, as seen in the book of Isaiah, is to restore this “hut” to the place of the divine shelter or dwelling place (see Isa. 66). Even the besieged city will one day become the New Jerusalem, where God and humanity mingle as one.

u1:8 Isaiah might be prophesying of the coming Assyrian invasion of Judah under King Sennacherib. See Isa. 36–37.

v1:9 Or “the Lord of every sort of host” or “Yahweh, who is hosts.”

w1:9 But mercy won and took dominion over judgment (see James 2:13). God will leave survivors, a remnant in the land. A “holy seed” (Isa. 6:13) will spring up. The “remnant” is an important theme found in the message of the prophets (Isa. 6:13; 10:20–22; 11:11–13, 16; Jer. 6:9; 23:3; 31:7; Mic. 2:12; Zech. 8:12) and Paul (Rom. 9:27–29; 11:5). The theology of God preserving a remnant meant so much to Isaiah that he named one of his sons Shear-Jashub, “a remnant will return” (Isa. 7:3).

x1:10 Isaiah used this command twenty-three times in this book.

y1:10 Although the Hebrew uses the word torah (“law,” “instruction”), it is used in this context to mean “correction” or “rebuke.”

z1:11 Outward sacrifices are empty if there is no inward reality (see Ps. 51:16–17; Mic. 6:6–8; Matt. 23:23). God cannot be bought. He looks at the heart and requires offerings given in holiness and truth. The sacrifice of a fattened animal is an outward picture of what God wants to do inside of us. He wants to kill that “fattened” part of us that is stuffed not with the humility taught by the Word but only with the letter of the Word (see Deut. 8:2–3; 2 Chron. 7:14; Isa. 66:2; James 1:21).

aa1:13 Or “your gifts of nothing.”

ab1:13 Or “iniquity and obligatory assemblies,” a likely hendiadys. See Jer. 7:11.

ac1:14 God has a soul with emotions and desires. He is perfect throughout.

ad1:14 God called them “your feasts,” not his (see Lev. 23:2). Their celebrations had become so shamefully sin-stained that God didn’t even want his holy name associated with their sinful conduct on those sacred days. See Amos 5:21–24.

ae1:15 See Ps. 66:18; 1 Tim. 2:8.

af1:16 This was also the message of John the Baptizer (Matt. 3:8).

ag1:17 Or “Vindicate the victim.”

ah1:17 See Ps. 9:18; Isa. 58:7; Jer. 22:16; James 1:27.

ai1:18 Or “Come now and let us argue it out together.” This is taken from the Hebrew word yākah, which has clear judicial overtones with an implication of a verdict in court.

aj1:18 Instead of pronouncing judgment to the guilty, Judge-Yahweh, in his grace and mercy, offered complete forgiveness.

ak1:18 The Hebrew for “scarlet” is taken from a root word for “double (dyed)” or “twice (dipped in scarlet dye),” making a permanent color.

al1:18 The word for “crimson” (Hb. tola) is also the word for a worm that, when crushed, bleeds a deep crimson color and is then used to dye fabric a permanent color. Psalms refers to Jesus as a “worm [tola],” as one who was crushed and bleeding crimson blood. See Ps. 22:6.

am1:18 Snow and wool are both naturally white. The Lord will not only deal with our outward sins but he will cleanse our nature, changing us from the inside out. Grace includes full amnesty.

an1:19 Or “the best of the land.” For the believer today, this is the land of grace that the meek inherit. The best of the land is the fruit of the life of Jesus (“the fruit produced by the Spirit”; Gal. 5:22).

ao1:20 The Hebrew text contains an obvious wordplay. “If you listen, you will eat the harvest; if you rebel, you will be eaten by the sword.” The devouring sword is the flashing sword of the Word, exposing us and penetrating to our very cores (see Heb. 4:12).

ap1:21 Or “those who cause to execute,” a possible indictment of judges who condemned the innocent to death.

aq1:22 What was silver (redemption) had become dross. The choice wine (fullness and gifts of the Spirit) had become watered down and unintelligible. The gifts of God had been diluted by fleshly lives that did not measure up to the standard of holiness—the choice wine of the Spirit ruined (watered down) by the works of the flesh.

ar1:24 Or “Woe!” The Septuagint reads “Woe to those who have power in Israel.”

as1:24 Sadly, because the once faithful people and their leaders turned away from what is right, God now called them his “adversaries” and his “foes.” To fight against the sovereign God means that he may turn and fight against you.

at1:25 Or “I will purge you thoroughly from your dross and remove all your impurities.” The Septuagint adds a sentence not found in Hebrew: “I will destroy those who refuse to obey and remove the lawbreakers from your midst.” The Hebrew is “I will turn my hand against you and smelt away all your dross and remove your alloy.”

au1:26 God promised a restoration of deliverers (see Obad. 21) or “judges” and “wise counselors.” Apostolic judges and prophetic counselors are on their way. They are sent to challenge the status quo and make us consider our ways. The result of their needed ministries is that God’s people will become the Righteous City and be restored to be the Faithful City (church). This is Isaiah’s glimpse of the New Jerusalem, the Bridal City coming to the earth. It will be a “Righteous City,” for God will dwell with his people.

av1:26 See also Gal. 4:26.

aw1:27 The Septuagint reads “mercy.”

ax1:29 The Hebrew word for “sacred groves” (or “terebinths”) rhymes with the Hebrew word for “idols.” It is a play on words that is common to the prophets. The Baal cult worshiped at the groves of sacred oaks. See Ezek. 6:13; 20:28; Hos. 4:13.

The Mountain of Yahweh’s Temple

2This is the word revealed to Isaiah, son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem:

2In the last days,a the mountain of Yahweh’s temple

will be raised upb as the head of the mountains,

towering over all the hills.c

A sparkling stream of every nation will flow into it.d

3Many peoples will come and say,

“Everyone, come! Let’s go up higher to Yahweh’s mountain,

to the house of Jacob’s God; then he can teach us his ways

and we can walk in his paths!”

Zione will be the center of instruction,f

and the word of Yahweh will go out from Jerusalem.

4He will judge fairly between the nations

and settle disputes among many peoples.g

They will beat the swords they used against each other

into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.h

No nation will take up weapons against another,

nor will they prepare for war anymore.

5O house of Jacob, come let us walk

in the wonderful light of Yahweh!i

The Judge of the Nations

6Lord, you have abandoned your people, the house of Jacob,

for they are full of occultic secrets from the east,

like the land of the Philistines, with sorcerers everywhere;

they are pleased with what is false and foreign.j

7Their land overflows with gold and silver;

they are wealthy beyond measure.

Their land is filled with horses and innumerable chariots!

8Worthless idols are everywhere, and they worship

the work of their own hands, what their fingers have made.k

9The people bow down low before the “no-gods,”

and the leaders lie down flat before them in worship,

so do not spare them!l

10Enter into the rock and hide in the dust

from the dreadful presence of Yahweh

and from his majestic glory.m

11The arrogantn will be humbled

and the pride of man brought low.

Only one will be exalted in that day: Yahweh!

12The Lord of Angel Armieso

has a day of humiliation in store for all the high and mighty,

for all who are proud and self-exalting.

They will be brought low.p

13His judgment is coming

against all the lofty cedars of Lebanonq and all the oaks of Bashan,r

14against all the high mountains and all the lofty hills,s

15against every high towert and every fortress wall,u

16against all the trading ships of Tarshishv

and all the impressive sailing vessels.w

17People’s arrogance will be conquered and brought low,x

and those proud of heart will be humiliated.

Only one will be exalted in that day: Yahweh!

18Every worthless idol will utterly pass away.y

The Coming Dread of God

19People will hide in caves and holes in the ground

from the dreadful presence of Yahweh

and from his majestic glory when he rises

to mightily shake the earth.

20In that day,z people will throw away the worthless idols

their hands have made from gold and silver.

They will fling their treasures to the rodents and bats

21as they crawl into the clefts of the rock to hide from the

dreadful presence of Yahweh

and from the majesty of his glory when he rises to shake the earth mightily!aa

22So once and for all, stop trusting in man,

who is but one breath from death—frail and puny man!ab

a2:2 This phrase, often used by the prophets of the Old Testament, speaks of our current time in human history between Pentecost and the coming again of Christ. See Heb. 1:2; 1 John 2:18.

b2:2 Or “prepared.” See Eph. 1:21–22.

c